Austrian Kachelofen Stove Builders to Visit the U.S. in April

The Masonry Heater Association of North America is hosting a masonry heater and brick oven workshop April 15-21, 2013 with featured guest instructors from Austria. Participants will learn techniques and priciples of contemporary Grundofen/Kachelofen design and construction in this hands-on workshop held at Wildacres Retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains north of Asheville, North Carolina.

Anyone who wishes to learn more about masonry heater and masonry bake oven technology and building techniques is encouraged to join the MHA and attend this workshop. Masonry heaters are site-built wood-burning appliances that radiantly heat a home with wood. They are very efficient and clean burning, and use relatively small amounts of wood to heat without the use of electricity, gas, fans, or ducts.

Austrian Master Stove Builders Paul Polatschek and Luis Wegscheider and stove designer/project consultant and coordinator Stefan Polatschek are presenting the Austrian stove program. Paul Polatschek and Luis Wegscheider, both 28, are Master Stove Fitters who apprenticed in Lower Austria and Tirol respectively.  Paul founded his company Die Hafnerei at Krems at the age of 21 and has a successful career with 6 employees assisting him in his current operations. Luis Wegscheider is the leader of a stove producer's technical development department, having created his own Austrian UZ37 combustion chamber used in his small Grundofen series. Stefan Polatschek, age 58, runs a consulting, planning and design office, doing work mostly for wood-fire related projects in cooperation with industry players. Stefan grew up in Tirol, where he got first-hand experience with ceramics in his younger days. This is a unique opportunity for builders to see the experts at work.

The annual meeting and workshop will include classroom and hands-on training in masonry heater basics, bricklaying, bake ovens and smokers, the Austrian heater, and other masonry heater designs.

The media is invited to attend and take photos of the event.

For more information or media scheduling contact Richard Smith, MHA Executive Director, at
520-883-0191 or e-mail execdir@mha-net.org or visit www.mha-net.org.